Source for 3.55 Ring and Pinion Gears?
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Jan 2023
Posts: 17
Likes: 8
Source for 3.55 Ring and Pinion Gears?
Hi All,
Car is a 1980 L-48 Automatic. Working on collecting parts for a TKX swap. Have the transmission kit sitting in my garage. We have confirmed the rear end is a Dana 44 3.08 rear end. Jeff from Silver Sport recommended a 3.55 rear end to go with the close ratio TKX. Seeing one option on Summit from Nitro Gears that does appear to be Corvette Specific:
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/n...ette/year/1980
Also seeing multiple options in a 3.54 rear end such as:
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/m...ette/year/1980
However it looks like they have different bolt counts on the differential, different tooth counts and different pinion sizes. The main thing that freaks me out is the R&P sets on Corvette Central are only for up to a 79 and the Nitro gears say they will fit a 77-82. To further complicate things Summit is saying both will fit. I am really sorry if this is a stupid question but if someone would kindly point me in the direction of the correct gears to buy for the car I would really appreciate it.
Thanks in advance to anyone who is kind of enough to help me out here.
Car is a 1980 L-48 Automatic. Working on collecting parts for a TKX swap. Have the transmission kit sitting in my garage. We have confirmed the rear end is a Dana 44 3.08 rear end. Jeff from Silver Sport recommended a 3.55 rear end to go with the close ratio TKX. Seeing one option on Summit from Nitro Gears that does appear to be Corvette Specific:
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/n...ette/year/1980
Also seeing multiple options in a 3.54 rear end such as:
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/m...ette/year/1980
However it looks like they have different bolt counts on the differential, different tooth counts and different pinion sizes. The main thing that freaks me out is the R&P sets on Corvette Central are only for up to a 79 and the Nitro gears say they will fit a 77-82. To further complicate things Summit is saying both will fit. I am really sorry if this is a stupid question but if someone would kindly point me in the direction of the correct gears to buy for the car I would really appreciate it.
Thanks in advance to anyone who is kind of enough to help me out here.
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Jan 2023
Posts: 17
Likes: 8
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 3,416
Likes: 1,825
From: Apple Valley, MN
63-79 Corvettes have what is referred to as an “iron differential” due to the fact that the housing is indeed cast iron. For the 1980 model year (and continuing through the end of C3 production) the General introduced the “Dana” differential, which has an aluminum housing and is supported by the “batwing”. The two series are completely different.
The Dana units are not as strong as the iron differentials.
The Dana units are not as strong as the iron differentials.
